Christopher Ondaatje
Sir Philip Christopher Ondaatje (/ɒnˈdɑːtʃi/; born 22
Sir
February 1933) between 2004 and 2024 The Earl of
Rothes, Lord of Leslie and Sheriff of Fife[1], is a Sri Philip Christopher Ondaatje
Lankan-born Canadian-English businessman, Born 22 February 1933
philanthropist, adventurer, writer and bob-sledding Occupation Businessman
Olympian for Canada. Ondaatje is the older brother of
the author Michael Ondaatje and lives in both Chester, Nova Scotia, and the United Kingdom. He was
infeft in November 2004 and designed by the Lord Lyon in September 2006 (amended from December
2005) as the Earl of Rothes, Lord of Leslie,[a][b] and Sheriff of Fife in the Baronage of Scotland.[5]
Overview
Born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to Major Mervyn Ondaatje and Doris Gratiaen, a Chetty-Burgher family
of Dutch and Indian origin, Ondaatje first went to S. Thomas' Preparatory School in Kollupitiya as one of
its first students, and later went to Blundell's School in the United Kingdom. His name comes from an
Indian ancestor called Ondaatchi from Thanjavur, India.[6] After his alcoholic father lost the family
fortune, Ondaatje had to leave school a year from graduation.
In 1956, he emigrated to Canada, arriving in Toronto with virtually no money. He quickly began to
rebuild the family fortune, becoming a wealthy stockbroker, going on to be one of the three founding
members of Loewen Ondaatje McCutcheon. He became a multi-millionaire in the publishing industry by
founding the Pagurian Press, which he later sold to the Bronfman family.
He represented Canada in the four-man bobsled at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. Although the
first Canadian men's team won gold in the event, Ondaatje's team finished 14th out of 18 teams.[7] He is a
member of the Chester Yacht Club in Nova Scotia, where he owns an island with a view of Chester
Harbour.[8][9]
Philanthropy
Ondaatje is a prominent philanthropist;[10][11] among the institutions he has helped are: The National
Portrait Gallery, The Royal Geographical Society, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Somerset
County Cricket Club, Blundell's School, The Sir Christopher Ondaatje Devon Cricket Centre at Exeter
University,[12] Lakefield College School and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia[13] and the Chester
Playhouse.[14]
The Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize – and annual award for "a distinguished work of fiction,
non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place" – is named after Ondaatje,[15] as is the Ondaatje Prize
for Portraiture from the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.[16]
Political donations
In 2000, Ondaatje donated £2 million to the UK Labour Party,[17] and gave a further £100,000 to its head
office in 2001.[18]
Adventurer
After many years of success, in which Ondaatje was considered one of Toronto's most aggressive and
predatory businessmen, he left the business world in 1995. He moved to Britain and began a career as a
philanthropist and adventurer. Travelling through India and Africa, he also became an author, following in
the footsteps of his younger brother Michael Ondaatje, a novelist. His books describe his travels and
adventures.[10]
His 2003 book Hemingway in Africa details his thesis regarding the life and motivations of Ernest
Hemingway.
Honours
Ondaatje was made a Knight Bachelor by the Queen in 2003 in her 2003 Birthday Honours for his
philanthropy and charitable services to Museums, Galleries and Societies.[19] He had previously been
made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2000 Birthday Honours,[17] and is an
Officer of the Order of Canada and a Senior Fellow of Massey College.
He was elected an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature in 2003.[20]
In 2011, he was made an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) and
was awarded its Gold Medal. In 2013, the RCGS established a medal in his name – the Sir Christopher
Ondaatje Medal for Exploration[21] — which is awarded annually to outstanding Canadian explorers.
Personal life
Ondaatje has three children with his Latvian-born wife, Valda:[10] David, a Hollywood script writer then
movie producer, Seira and Jans Ondaatje.[22]
Publications
Olympic Victory: The story behind the Canadian Bob-Sled Club's incredible victory at the
1964 Winter Olympic Games (1967)
The Prime Ministers of Canada, 1867–1967 (1968)
Leopard in the Afternoon — An Africa Tenting Safari (1989)
The Man-eater of Punanai — a Journey of Discovery to the Jungles of Old Ceylon (1992)
Sindh Revisited: A Journey in the Footsteps of Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton (1996)
Journey to the Source of the Nile (1999)
Hemingway in Africa: The Last Safari (2004)
Woolf in Ceylon: An Imperial Journey in the Shadow of Leonard Woolf, 1904–1911 (2005)
The Power of Paper: A History, a Financial Adventure and a Warning (2007)
The Glenthorne Cat and other amazing leopard stories (2008)
The Last Colonial: Curious Adventures & Stories from a Vanishing World (2011)
Ondaatje, Christopher, ed. (2013). Love Duet and Other Curious Stories about Music.
Minehead, Somerset: Rare Books and Berry.
See also
Ondaatje Letters
Michael Ondaatje
Ondaatje Prize
Pearl Ondaatje
Quint Ondaatje
References
1. "Decision of Lord Lyon King of Arms – Skye, 8 October 2009" (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0160303181027/http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/files/WES%20Note.pdf) (PDF). p. 1-4-5.
Archived from the original (http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/files/WES%20Note.pdf)
(PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
2. "A Brief History of Leslie Castle" (https://leslie-castle.com/about/). leslie-castle.com.
Retrieved 30 August 2024.
3. "The Scottish Barony Register" (https://scottishbaronyregister.org/). Retrieved 30 August
2024.
4. "The Feudal Baronies of Scotland" (https://debretts.com/directories/other-titles-2/the-feudal-
baronies-of-scotland/). Debrett's. 29 June 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
5. "Infeft in 2004 "in the lands forming the barony and territorial lordship of Leslie and the
territorial earldom of Rothes, together with the territorial office of Sheriff of Fife" and
recognised in the titles in 2005" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181027/http://www.ly
on-court.com/lordlyon/files/WES%20Note.pdf) (PDF). Lyon Court. 9 June 2024. p. 5.
6. Ancestry.com (https://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/gen7000.html)
7. "Innsbruck 1964 Bobsleigh Four-Man Men Results" (https://olympics.com/en/olympic-game
s/innsbruck-1964/results/bobsleigh/four-man-men), Olympics.
8. Taber, Jane (14 August 2013). "Canada's largest annual keelboat regatta livens quiet N.S.
town" (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/canadas-largest-annual-keelbo
at-regatta-livens-quiet-ns-town/article13778812/). The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 3 July
2022.
9. Brophy, Gwenda (4 January 2008). " 'I dreamt the island was for sale' " (https://www.ft.com/c
ontent/9e17badc-b9a7-11dc-bb66-0000779fd2ac). Financial Times. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
10. Grice, Elizabeth (17 October 2007). "Sir Christopher Ondaatje: 'I have always identified with
predators' " (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3634394/Sir-Christopher-Ondaatje-I-
have-always-identified-with-predators.html). The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 September
2024.
11. Jury, Louise (5 June 2001). "Ondaatje comes to the rescue of 'Literary Review' " (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20090228130040/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/book
s/news/ondaatje-comes-to-the-rescue-of-literary-review-672926.html). The Independent.
London. Archived from the original (https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/book
s/news/ondaatje-comes-to-the-rescue-of-literary-review-672926.html) on 28 February 2009.
12. Cricket Centre (http://sport.exeter.ac.uk/facilities/cricketcentre/) Archived (https://web.archiv
e.org/web/20100323123917/http://sport.exeter.ac.uk/facilities/cricketcentre/) 23 March 2010
at the Wayback Machine, University of Exeter, UK.
13. Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (http://www.artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/), Canada.
14. Chester Playhouse (http://www.chesterplayhouse.ns.ca) Archived (https://web.archive.org/w
eb/20070909163247/http://www.chesterplayhouse.ns.ca/) 9 September 2007 at the
Wayback Machine, Canada.
15. "RSL Ondaatje Prize" (https://rsliterature.org/rsl-ondaatje-prize/). Royal Society of Literature.
9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
16. "The Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture" (https://therp.co.uk/portfolio/the-ondaatje-prize-for-portr
aiture-2/). Royal Society of Portrait Painters. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
17. McSmith, Andy (5 January 2001). "Labour reveals more £2m donors" (https://www.telegrap
h.co.uk/news/uknews/1313228/Labour-reveals-more-2m-donors.html). The Daily Telegraph.
London.
18. "Top 50 donations to Labour in 2001" (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/funding/table/0,
11893,714963,00.html). The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
19. "Knights bachelor – full list" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2987736.stm). BBC News.
London. 13 June 2003.
20. "Current RSL Fellows" (http://rsliterature.org/fellows/current-fellows/). The Royal Society of
Literature. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
21. "Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration" (https://web.archive.org/web/20200717120
426/http://www.rcgs.org/awards/ondaatje_medal/). The Royal Canadian Geographical
Society. Archived from the original (http://www.rcgs.org/awards/ondaatje_medal/) on 17 July
2020. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
22. "Sir Christopher Ondaatje" (https://www.worldgenweb.org/lkawgw//chrisond.html). National
Post. 13 October 2001. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
Notes
a. In the Baronage of Scotland, a Lord is the second degree rank of baronage nobility but is
also always baron. Note that for Lords in the Baronage of Scotland a baron is a lord and a
lord is a baron and can be used interchangeable or as per the preference of the holder.
While a Scots baron - that is not a lord - is only ever called baron.
b. In 2004 Leslie Castle, a splendid baronial mansion converted into a hotel, was sold by David
Carnegie Leslie – a member of the Clan Leslie – to Sir Christopher Ondaatje and became a
private residence.[2] Subsequently, in January of 2018, Leslie Castle changed hands again
and was sold to Mr John Andrea, the then new Baron of Leslie.[3][4]
Further reading
Ridley, Jane (4 January 2014). "The food of love". Books. The Spectator. 324 (9671): 25.
Reviews Love duet ....
External links
Order of Canada Citation (https://archive.today/20070311112206/http://www.gg.ca/honours/
search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=3104)
Author website (archived) (https://web.archive.org/web/20070807185451/http://www.ondaatj
e.com/index.html)
HarperCollins Canada site (https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000413/http://www.harper
canada.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/author_xml.asp?authorid=CA414)
History of Chester Playhouse (https://web.archive.org/web/20070803195257/http://www.che
sterplayhouse.ns.ca/html/history.html)
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